Man&#39;s convertible military type coat



April 12, 1955 w, wElNBERG 2,705,805

MANS CONVERTIBLE MILITARY TYPE COAT Filed Dec. 17, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR lfejnfierg Ww Ma (1a;

ATTORNEY April 12, 1955 w. F. WEINBERG S CONVERTIBLE MILITARY TYPE COAT MAN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 17, 1953 INVENTOR 1 4 hi ATTORNEY Mm FEE i116 erg April 12, 1955 w. F. WEINBERG MANS CONVERTIBLE MILITARY TYPE COAT I5 Sheets-Sheet ZS Filed Dec. 17, 1953 1 1 l II INVENTOR 96115 erg BY ATTORNEY United States PatenfO MANS CONVERTIBLE MILITARY TYPE COAT William Freeland Weinberg, Elkins Park, Pa., assignor to S. Abrahams & Co., Inc. (also known as Saco Uniforms), Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 17, 1953, Serial No. 398,819

Claims. (Cl. 2-93) The present invention relates generally to uniform jackets or coats and it relates more particularly to mens military-type uniform jackets or coats.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel mans military-type uniform jacket which can be quickly and easily converted from one recognized type of jacket to another. Another object of the present invention is to provide a mans military-type uniform jacket which can be converted from a relatively short waist-length battle jacket or Eisenhower jacket to a regulation hip length jacket or blouse, or to a dress type or West Point jacket, or both.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description, appended claims and accompanying drawings.

Mens military-type uniform jackets, as used by the armed forces, by school and college bands, and by vet- .erans and other military organizations, fall into three categories, namely: a relatively short waist length jacket, commonly referred to as a battle jacket or Eisenhower jacket; a full-skirted hip length jacket or blouse; and a dress type or West Point jacket which is generally waist length but with tails at the back.

Among school and college bands and veterans and other patriotic organizations, there is frequently a demand for all three types of jackets, depending upon the temperature, the type of maneuvers or other activities engaged in, and various other factors. This is especially true in the case of bands and other units which engage in marching and other precision maneuvers, during which a change in costume is frequently desirable.

However, since a fairly good quality military-type jacket is relatively expensive, the cost of providing school or college bands and the like with three separate sets of uniforms is, in most cases, prohibitive.

According to the present invention, there has, for the first time, been developed a novel mans military-type uniform jacket which can be quickly and easily converted to any one of these three types of jackets and which costs little, if any, more than the cost of a single jacket.

Generally speaking, the present invention comprises a basic waist-length garment of the battle jacket or Eisenhower type; a separate full skirt portion intended to be detachably engaged to the basic garment so as to convert it into a hip-length coat or blouse; and a separate tail portion intended to be detachably secured to the back of the basic garment so as to convert it into a dress type or West Point jacket. Separate slide fastener elements of appropriate length (or other suitable quick attachable and detachable fastening elements) are provided at the lowermost free edge of the short basic garment and complementary slide fastener elements (or other suitable quick attachable and detachable fastening elements) are provided along the upper edges of the full skirt portion and the tail portion to permit the latter two to be easily connected to and disconnected from the basic garment.

In a preferred embodiment, the attaching means for the tail portion is disposed inside of the attaching means for the full skirt portion, so that both can be attached to the basic jacket at the same time, with the tail portion covered and concealed by the full skirt portion. In this last mentioned preferred embodiment, the full skirt portion can first be detached so as to convert the garment from a waist-length jacket or blouse to a dress type or West Point jacket, after which the tail portion can be detached to convert the garment to the basic battle jacket or Eisenhower jacket, all in a matter of a few seconds.

2,705,805 Patented Apr. 12, 1955 I prefer to provide the short basic garment and the separate full skirt portion and tail portion with corresponding contrastingly colored portions (such as pocket flaps, lapels, epaulets, cuffs, belt and piping), so that, when either the full skirt portion or the tail portion is connected to the basic garment, the effect is that of a unitary jacket.

The belt is preferably so formed as to conceal the interconnecting or fastening means when the basic garment is worn by itself or with either the full skirt portion or the tail portion in place.

For the purpose of illustrating the present invention, there are shown in the accompanying drawings forms thereof which have been found in practice to give satisfactory results and which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a mans militarytype convertible uniform jacket constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of a short waistlength basic garment forming part of the embodiment of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the short waistlength basic garment of Fig. 2 with a separate tail portion attached thereto; parts being broken away better to reveal the construction thereof.

Figure 4 is a rear elevational view showing the basic waist-length garment with both the tail portion and the full skirt portion afiixed thereto in superimposed relationship; parts being broken away better to reveal the construction thereof.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the separate full skirt portion forming part of the embodiment of Fig. 1.

Figure 7 is a rear elevational view of the separate tail portion forming part of the embodiment of Fig. 2.

Figure 8 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the separate tail portion and the full skirt portion are connected to the basic waist-length garment to form the embodiment of Fig. 4.

Figure 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view like that of Fig. 5 but showing a modified embodiment in which the relative positions of the tail portion and the full skirt portion are reversed so that the tail portion is outermost.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating how, with the modified construction of Fig. 9, the slide fastener element on the waist-length basic garment is fully concealed even when the belt portion is open.

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view generally like that of Fig. 5 but showing another embodiment of the present invention in which snap-fastener elements are employed in place of the slide fastener elements.

Figure 12 is a perspective view like that of Fig. 6 but showing the snap-fastener equipped full skirt portion employed in the embodiment of Fig. 11.

Figure 13 is a rear elevational view, like that of Fig. 7, but showing the snap-fastener equipped tail portion employed in the embodiment of Fig. 11.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, I may provide a mans military-type convertible uniform coat or jacket made up of three component parts, namely a relatively short waist-length basic garment 20, shown in Fig. 2, a separate full skirt portion 22, shown in Fig. 6, and a separate tail portion 24, shown in Fig. 7.

The waist-length basic garment 20 is of the battle jacket or Eisenhower type, being single-breasted with buttons 26 and buttonholes 28 (or other conventional closure elements) provided along its vertical free edges in the usual manner. The garment or jacket 20 may also be provided with left and right patch pockets 30 and left and right epaulets 32.

A mock belt 34 is stitched, along its upper edge, to the jacket 20 by a seam-line 36 disposed somewhat above the lowermost free edge 38 of the jacket and extanding most of the way, but not completely around the jacket, as best indicated in Figs. 2 and 8. That is, the ends ice of the seam-line 36 terminate somewhat short of the vertical free edges of the jacket in a manner illustrated in Fig. 2, so as to provide the mock belt with unattached free ends 40 and 42.

Female snap-fastener elements 44 are provided on the free end 40 while inwardly directed male snap-fastener elements 46 are provided on the inner face of the free end 42 so that the ends 40 and 42 can be detachably connected in overlapping relationship in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

A mock buckle 48 may be provided on the free end 42, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

As illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the lowermost free edge of the mock belt 34 extends downward somewhat beyond the lowermost free edge 38 of the jacket so as to conceal the detachable engaging elements to be hereinafter described.

As illustrated in Fig. l, the mock belt 34, the flaps of the patch pockets 30, the epaulets 32, the collar 50 and the ends of the sleeves 52 may be colored in contrast to the remainder of the jacket 20 so as to provide a decorative color scheme which is carried through on the full skirt portion 22 and the tail portion 24, as will be described hereinbelow.

Mounted on opposite sides of the free edge 38 are a pair of slide fastener elements 54 and 56; the element 54 extending through substantially the entire circumferential dimension of the free edge while the element 56 is appreciably shorter and extends only along the back of the jacket, as best illustrated in Fig. 8.

In the embodiment of Figs. 4, and 8, the longer fastener element 54 is disposed on the outer side of the free edge 38 while the shorter fastener element 56 is disposed on the inner side of the free edge.

However, it is possible to interchange the elements 54 and 56 so as to position the element 56 on the outer side of the free edge 38 and the longer element 54 on the inner side, in the manner indicated in Figs. 9 and 10.

The longer fastener element 54 is provided with a conventional slider 58 to permit detachable engagement of said element 54 with a complementary slide fastener 60 extending completely around the uppermost edge of the full skirt portion 22, in a manner well known in the art.

The skirt portion 22 may have the same color as the short jacket 20 and has a vertical dimension such that, when connected to the short jacket 20, it converts the garment into a hip-length jacket or blouse. The full skirt portion 22 is provided with pockets, the flaps 62 of which may be contrastingly colored in a manner similar to the flaps of the patch pockets 30.

As indicated in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, the mock belt 34 extends over and fully conceals the slide fastener elements so that the composite garment cannot be distinguished visually from a conventional one-piece blouse. This unitary appearance is carried through by the main and contrasting color schemes of the garment 20 and the full skirt portion 22.

The separate tail portion 24 of Fig. 7 is provided, along its uppermost free edge, with a slide fastener element 64 complementary to the shorter fastner element 56 on the jacket 20 and carrying a slider 66 whereby the tail portion 24 can be detachably aflixed to said garment 20 so as to convert the short waist-length garment into a dress type of West Point uniform as shown in Fig. 3.

The tail portion 24 may also have the same color as the basic jacket 20 and may be provided with contrastingly colored piping 68 which conforms to the contrastingly colored portions of the basic garment 20. As indicated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the mock belt 34 completely covers and conceals the slide fastener elements so that, as in the embodiment of Fig. l, the dress type or West Point uniform of Fig. 3 gives the same visual appearance as a unitary one-piece uniform jacket.

It is apparent that the short waist-length basic jacket 20 can be used by itself where ease of movement is desirable.

When a greater degree of formality and more warmth are desired. the full skirt portion 22 can be attached to Itl e jacket 20 to provide the hip-length blouse shown in Instead, when extreme formality is desired, the separate tail portion 24 can be attached to the waist-length basic jacket to give the West Point type of uniform shown in Fig. 3.

With the slide fastener elements 54 and 56 in the relationship shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 8 (that is, with the longer slide fastener element 54 outermost) it is possible to wear the garment with both the tail portion 24 and the full skirt portion 22 in place on the short basic garment 20. That is, the tail portion 24 being undermost, it is fully covered and concealed by the full skirt portion, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4, so that the three-piece garment has the external appearance of the hip-length blouse of Fig. 1.

This last mentioned arrangement has the advantage that the garment can then be converted from the blouse form of Fig. l to the West Point dress uniform of Fig. 3 by simply detaching the full skirt portion 22. Thereafter, the West Point style garment can be converted to the basic waist-length jacket by simply detaching the tail portion 24.

In other words, during fancy marching or other exhibitions, the band or other group of uniformed men can start off appareled in hip-length blouse jacket and, in quick succession, can change to West Point style uniforms and waist-length or Eisenhower jackets without any more than momentary interruptions in their maneuvers.

In Figs. 11, 12 and 13 there is shown a modified embodiment in which the slide fastener elements on the basic garment, the full skirt portion and the tail portion are replaced by male and female snap-fastener elements.

Thus, a plurality of female snap-fastener elements 70 may be provided around the outer side of the lowermost free edge 38 of the jacket 20-a so as to make detachable engagement with inwardly directed male snap-fastener f lemcinzts 72 on the full skirt portion 22-a, shown in A tape 74 is stitched to the underside of the free edge 38 of the jacket 20-a; the tape 74 extending downward slightly beyond the free edge 38 and carrying outwardly directed female snap-fastener elements 76 which are adapted to make detachable connection with inwardly directed male snap-fastener elements 78 provided along the uppermost free edge of the tail portion 24-a shown in Fig. 13.

As in the previously described embodiments, the mock belt 34 on the basic garment 20-a extends downward sufliciently to cover and conceal the snap-fastener elements. It is obvious that the relative positions of the snap-fastener elements could be interchanged so as to place the tail portion 24-a outermost instead of innermost, in a manner analogous to that shown in Fig. 9.

While, for purposes of illustration, I have shown slide fastener elements and snap-fastener elements as the means for detachably engaging the skirt portion and the tail portion to the waist-length jacket, it is within the scope of this invention to provide other forms of quick attachable and detachable engaging elements for this purpose.

Thus, for example, I may employ, in lieu of slide fastener elements or snap-fastener elements, a plurality of buttons and buttonholes (not shown) which can be circumferentially distributed about the opposed free edges of the short waist-length jacket and the full skirt portion or the tail portion in a manner obvious to those skilled in the art; the buttons and buttonholes again being covered arbdd concealed by the mock belt in the manner described a ove.

Another way in which to make this detachable engagement is to provide a series of circumferentially distributed hook-and-eye elements (not shown) about the opposed free edges of the waist-length jacket and the skirt portion or the tail portion, in a manner which is, again, well known to those skilled in the art.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent the following:

1. A mans military type convertible uniform jacket comprising a relatively short front-opening waist-length jacket having two separate quick attachable and detachable engaging means disposed adjacent its lowermost free edge, and also having a mock belt afiixed to the outside of the jacket in overlying relationship to said lowermost free edge and depending somewhat therebeyond so as to conceal said engaging means, one of said engaging means extending around substantially the full circumferential dimension of the free edge and the other of said engaging means extending only along the back portion of the free edge; one of said engaging means being disposed on the outer side of the jacket and the other of said engaging means being disposed on the inner side of the jacket, a hip-length full skirt portion having complementary engaging means disposed along its uppermost free edge and constructed and arranged to make quick attachable and detachable connection with the full length engaging means on the jacket; and a separate hip-length tail portion having complementary engaging means formed along its uppermost free edge and constructed and arranged to make quick attachable and detachable connection with the relatively shorter engaging means on the back of the free edge of the waist portion.

2. A construction according to claim 1 wherein the full length engaging means is disposed outside of the relatively shorter engaging means whereby both the full skirt portion and the tail portion can be attached to the waist-length jacket at the same time with the tail portion covered by the full skirt portion.

3. A construction according to claim 1 wherein the relatively short engaging means is disposed outside the full length engaging means.

4. A construction according to claim 1 wherein the quick attachable and detachable engaging means comprise complementary slide fastener elements.

5. A construction according to claim 1 wherein the quick attachable and detachable engaging means comprise complementary snap-fastener elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,123,969 Rosenblatt July 19, 1938 2,320,783 Lee June 1, 1943 

